Parliament Winter Session: Triple Talaq bill was briefly discussed in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Triple
talaq bill that was cleared by the Lok Sabha last week was discussed briefly in the Rajya Sabha today after continued disruption over the protests in Maharashtra. The house was however adjourned before it could make any progress. The landmark bill that makes instant "triple
talaq" a criminal offence was forwarded to the Rajya Sabha. Several parties including the Congress, the Left and the two big parties from Tamil Nadu, AIADMK and the DMK, have been in favour of sending the bill to a panel of parliamentarians for review . The government hopes to build consensus in the Upper House where it lacks majority.
Here are the highlights of the Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha:
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am, 4th January.
Leader of opposition, Gulam Nabi Azad: In a democracy, majority is what prevails. Let us decide by division. Whichever group has the number, the decision should be made according to that
Naresh Agarwal:
The constitution says that if one house commits a mistake, the other has to correct it. There should be an equal law for all women but the select committee law is there for a reason
Anand Sharma:
- Congress stands for rights and dignity of women. It is unfair to say that they are only ones are responsible and that we are not responsible.
- Why haven't you brought up the women reservation bill in the past three and a half years if you care about women's rights?
- We are not opposing, we are supporting. But any law has to go through scrutiny
- The leader of the house is a an eminent jurist. What he has spoken of is a minority judgement
- We have made it clear that we respect the rights of women
Arun Jaitley:
- "I have never come across a motion that was not submitted 24 hours in advance which says it will be referred to a select committee and the names of the committee orally given. This has never happened in the house," says Mr Jaitley.
- The whole country is watching that the bill was supported in the lower house and is being opposed here, he added.
- He also gives reasons why the bill should not be referred to a select committee.
- The reason why it should not be referred to a select committee is that when the practice was declared as unconstitutional, two judges who thought the practice was 'unfair' and not 'unconstitutional' used their power to suspend it for a period of six months, he said.
- Therefore there is an urgency that the people expect from the parliament over this bill, we should behave responsibly. One party which supported the bill in the other house is now opposing it.
- Don't compromise with the people who talk about dividing the country
"This bill has already been circulated two-three days in advance. Notice for consideration of an amendment has to be given at least one day ahead. This motion was not given one day before," says leader of the house, Arun Jaitley.
Arun Jaitley expresses serious objections on the merits and procedures that was followed by the opposition. Says is taken him by surprise that a motion is suddenly submitted and not a day in advance.
Congress' Anand Sharma moves amendments for the Triple Talaq Bill.
Anand Sharma: The rule is very clear, if the member in charge moves the bill, it will be taken into consideration. I move the following motion, that this house being strongly committed to women's rights, wants to refer the bill to the select committee
Triple Talaq debate disrupted in the Parliament by opposition over Dalit protests in Maharashtra
Triple Talaq Bill Moved by Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Ravi Shankar Prasad: This is a very important bill, I move the motion that the bill will be taken into consideration
Chair: If you are ready for the bill, I am here. Otherwise I will adjourn.
Arun Jaitley: The matters of state belong to states, but this is an important issue, referring to Triple Talaq Bill.
Leader of opposition, Gulam Nabi Azad: The law minister said that the protesting in Rajya Sabha is being done on purpose because of the Triple Talaq Bill. We are not doing it because of that. We are protesting over what is happening in the country, people are dying. We are following the procedure to pass the bill. BJP is anti-Dalit.
Rajya Sabha Chair, PJ Kurien says he wants to take up the bill.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3 pm. The Triple Talaq Bill was to be tabled at 2 pm in the Upper House.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were also present in the weekly meeting of BJP MPs.
Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party, the Union finance minister also said the government wanted a debate on the bill, which criminalises instant talaq, and its passage with a consensus like the GST bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters, according to Press Trust of India.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today accused the Congress of "double standards" in its stand on the triple talaq bill, saying it was trying to stall the bill in the Rajya Sabha after supporting it in the Lok Sabha.
Triple Talaq Bill: A final decision on whether time should be allotted or sending it to a select committee will be taken on the floor of the house.
After easily clearing the Lok Sabha last week, the triple talaq bill brought to the Rajya Sabha will be debated for four hours and will be put to vote despite the Congress and other opposition parties making it clear that they will push for it to be sent to a parliamentary committee for review.
The Congress would consult a larger opposition before finalising its stand on the contentious bill which proposed to ban instant triple talaq and make the practice a cognisable offence, party sources said according to Press Trust of India.
Winter Session: PM Modi arrives at the Parliament ahead of BJP Parliamentary party meeting. The Triple Talaq bill is to be tabled and considered for passing in the Rajya Sabha today.